We are delighted to reveal our biggest local programme to date, with four magical productions running all through the Autumn and Winter months at our dedicated children’s theatre space in Cityside Retail and Leisure Park.
Cityside mall came alive on Saturday with pop-up performances and dazzling magic, delighting local shoppers, as we unveiled our exciting plans for the upcoming season.“Cahoots is a vibrant creative space in the heart of North Belfast, offering incredible opportunities to the local community to learn, grow, and enjoy the arts. Organisations like Cahoots deserve our full support so they can continue providing young people with the platforms they need and deserve to flourish in life.” John Finucane MP, North Belfast.
Since moving into our new home at Cityside in 2020, we’ve been hard at work creating a dedicated space for young audiences. Located in the heart of North Belfast, we’re committed to connecting meaningfully with our local community—engaging youth groups and schools through interactive workshops and VIP preview performances.
Cityside Centre Manager, Mark Rainey, commented that: “Cityside is delighted to again partner with Cahoots for the launch of their Autumn/Winter programme. This promises to be our most exciting collaboration yet — delivering magic and wonder for audiences right here in North Belfast.”
The programme includes returning favourites, internationally acclaimed work and a world premiere, all of which lead up to Cahoots’ spectacular Christmas show – ‘The Secret Bookshop!’ We are transforming Cityside into a whole new world for this fully interactive production- combining magic, music and storytelling in our unique theatrical style, for an experience like no other.
Paul Bosco Mc Eneaney, Artistic Director of Cahoots, comments: “We are incredibly proud to once again be bringing wonder into childhood, right in the heart of North Belfast. Each of these shows have been crafted using magic, illusion, and heartfelt storytelling to connect and inspire curiosity in our audiences. At Cahoots, we believe we’re not just putting on a show, we’re creating an escape into a world of pure imagination.
We are thrilled to be bringing two of our popular productions to Cityside and to be part of the Belfast International Arts Festival once again. We are also particularly excited about the new worlds we’re creating. ‘Unlocking Sherlock’ is a fascinating dive into psychological illusion for slightly older audiences, and our Christmas show, ‘The Secret Bookshop,’ is set to be a true highlight. Our collaboration with the brilliant minds at Deluxe Group will allow us to build a festive production that will surprise, delight, and hopefully enchant our audiences, in a way never before seen in Belfast.”
Coming this September the programme blasts off with returning favourite ‘Secrets of Space’ a theatrical spectacle of intergalactic proportions set to captivate young audiences and their families.
We are thrilled to have partnered once again with The Belfast International Arts Festival with two productions running in the festival at the end of October- The Northern Irish Premier of ‘The Musicians of Bremen Live!’ and the World Premier of ‘Unlocking Sherlock’ a new production from local magician and mastermind Caolan McBride.
A full Christmas take over at Cityside for the month of December will round out the season, celebrating our exciting new local partnership with world renowned ‘The Deluxe Group’. Together, we will bring a spellbinding, festive immersive experience for all the family which will be unlike anything you’ve seen before- ‘The Secret Bookshop’.
“The Arts Council of Northern Ireland is delighted to be the principal public investor in Cahoots. Cahoots is one of Northern Ireland’s most outstanding theatre companies and well on the way to becoming one of our best international success stories. These are the experiences that shape young lives.”
Roisín McDonough, Chief Executive, Arts Council of Northern Ireland
Check Out the full programme here:
Cahoots is supported by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Belfast City Council, Culture Ireland and the Arts & Business Investment Programme.
